Silvia News

French shipping group CMA CGM has committed to buy the logistics operations of family-run conglomerate Bollore for an enterprise value of 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion), the two companies said on Monday.CMA CGM granted the Bollore group an option to sell it the logistics business, which generated more than 7 billion euros in revenue last year and employs 13,500 people.Bollore said it would decide whether or not to exercise the option after consulting employee representatives.The…

The new floating terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) set up in the Tuscan port of Piombino will start its commercial operations at the end of this month, the CEO of Italy's gas grid operator Snam said on Friday.The terminal will make available around 2 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas this year and around 5 bcm next year said Snam's Stefano Venier at a press conference to mark the arrival of the first LNG tanker in Piombino."This ship is a great service to the country," Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said at the same event.The expansion is part of the Italian government's

Itay's Snam will choose the offshore site for its new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in the next 100 days, Italy's special commissioner for the project said on Friday, with its initial location already facing a legal challenge.Under the government's plan to diversify energy supply away from Russian gas, Italy's gas grid operator plans to moor the newly-bought FSRU in the port of Piombino, on Italy's west coast, for the next three years. After this period, it has…

A state-appointed commissioner in Italy on Tuesday gave his formal go-ahead to the set up of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the port of Piombino, on the western coast of the country.Preparatory works by gas grid operator Snam for the infrastructure can start on Wednesday, Commissioner Eugenio Giani said during a press conference in Florence.The floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), which is part of a broader plan designed by the former government of Mario Draghi to replace dwindling Russian gas supplies, needs to be operational by end-March.The gas grid operator said

The region of Tuscany has asked for hundreds of millions of euros in investments in exchange for allowing a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Tuscan port of Piombino, the Italian region said.In a statement on Monday, the region's administration said it had approved the new terminal, adding it was sending a list of requests to the national government.In June Italian state-controlled gas grid operator Snam bought a new floating storage and regasification unit (FRSU) in an effort to boost the country's energy security in the face of dwindling Russian gas supplies.Tuscany President E

Italy's commissioner for the set up of a new regasification terminal is confident the infrastructure could get the green light by the end of October, in time for extending the country's LNG capacity at the beginning of 2023.Under the government's energy plan, the new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) should be operational by the end of March next year to increase the country's LNG imports and make up for a shortfall of Russian imports.The infrastructure, which was bought in June by gas grid operator Snam SRG.MI…

Italy's commissioner for the set up of a new regasification terminal is confident the infrastructure could get the green light by the end of October, in time for extending the country's LNG capacity at the beginning of 2023.Under the government's energy plan, the new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) should be operational by the end of March next year to increase the country's LNG imports and make up for a shortfall of Russian imports.The infrastructure, which was bought in June by gas grid operator Snam…

Ukraine is seeking ways to get grain and vegetable oils out of the country by breaking a months-long blockade of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea by the Russian navy and moving more by land.The war, together with Western sanctions against Russia, have sent the price of grain, cooking oil, fertilizer, and energy soaring.That in turn, is threatening a global food crisis as many countries count on Russia and Ukraine for more than half of their wheat imports, including some of the poorest.Russia and Ukraine together account for nearly a third of the global wheat supply…

A tanker carrying about 1 million barrels on Iranian heavy crude arrived in recent days in Venezuelan waters for delivery to the country's largest refinery, according to a shipping report seen by Reuters on Monday and vessel tracking data.Iran and Venezuela have recently expanded a swap agreement signed last year, adding the supply of Iranian heavy crude to Venezuela's El Palito refinery and Paraguana Refining Center (CRP), part of an effort to revamp the dilapidated facilities.

Ukraine faces a possible grain revenue loss of $6 billion as the blockade of its ports by Russian forces prevents it from selling millions of tonnes of wheat and corn that had been earmarked for export by June, a senior industry official said.Countries that rely on imports of Ukrainian wheat - including Egypt, Turkey and Yemen - will need to find alternative supplies, aid agencies have warned.Ukraine, a major producer of grain and oilseeds, exports 98% of its cereals through its ports and only a fraction by rail…

Spanish government veterinarians were on Friday inspecting hundreds of cows crammed aboard a ship that returned to port after months at sea in which the animals endured what one NGO described as “hellish” conditions.The Karim Allah docked at the southeastern Spanish port of Cartagena on Thursday after drifting for months through the Mediterranean, struggling to find a buyer for its 895 cattle, which were rejected by several countries over fears they had bovine bluetongue virus.“The inspection will continue throughout today. The information gathered will be analyzed and appropriate decisions will be taken,” the Agriculture Ministry said.If they test positive for the insect-borne bluetongue virus…

A shipload of Spanish cattle that had been drifting for months due to concerns over the bovine bluetongue disease docked in Spain on Thursday, the government said, but the fate of the animals remains unclear.The Karim Allah left the Mediterranean port of Cartagena on December 17 carrying 895 cattle destined for sale in Turkey. A second ship, the ElBeik, set sail the next day from Tarragona with a cargo of nearly 1,800 cows.Even though the cattle had clean veterinary certificates, according to Spain’s government, Turkish authorities rejected both vessels and suspended live animal imports from Spain after an outbreak of the insect-borne…

A traditional maritime coin ceremony  took place at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, when the keel was laid for MSC Seashore. At the milestone event, MSC Cruises revealed details of the significantly transformed overall design and new features of the ship.MSC Seashore will be the Company’s longest ship – 339 meters – when she enters service in June 2021, the first of two enriched “Seaside Evo” Class ships with the latest available environmental technology, extended public spaces, more cabins and the highest ratio of outdoor space per guest of any ship in the company’s fleet.

Danish shipping conglomerate Maersk launched a digital service that is designed to simplify supply chains and provides customers with a cargo loading guarantee at a fixed price.The Maersk Spot platform also helps its clients by addressing some of the fundamental inefficiencies that exist across the industry, said a press release."It is not uncommon to see overbookings to the tune of 30%, and often this leads to rolling of the customers’ cargoes since there is overbooking to compensate for the high downfall," said Silvia Ding, Global Head of Ocean Products at Maersk. "This creates a lot of uncertainty for our customers. With Maersk Spot, we provide full visibility of the price and terms that will ensure cargoes get on board.

The Panama Canal will boost liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker traffic along the waterway from October in a boon to U.S. East Coast LNG producers chasing profits from sales to Asia.As demand for LNG transit grows, the Panama Canal will grant night passage, and scrap its single-file rule to enable passage in opposing directions at the waterway's north end."By lifting these restrictions on October 1, the Canal will unleash even more capacity for LNG," Silvia de Marucci, Executive Manager…

In the two years since its inauguration, the Expanded Panama Canal continues to offer record growth across segments and rising trade opportunities around the world. The Panama Canal marked the two-year anniversary of the inauguration of its Canal Expansion, the largest enhancement project in the waterway's 103-year history, on June 26. To date, the Canal has transited 3,745 Neopanamax vessels, traffic that confirms the route's efficiency and the maritime industry's confidence in the Expanded Canal. "Two years ago, we pledged to usher in a new era for world commerce," said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano. The performance of the Expanded Canal's Neopanamax Locks continues to exceed expectations.

Maersk Line takes further steps towards simplifying the supply chains of its customers by expanding the service scope on its online platform ship.maerskline.com to cover more major trades and addressing customers'pain points. The new scope on the platform will cover customers exporting from ports of Shanghai and Ningbo in Eastern China and Qingdao in North China, to all Mediterranean destinations; expanding from the current three Northern China ports (Qingdao, Xingang and Dalian) to West Africa, South Africa and East Coast South America. The offering will be available for customers located in China, placing bookings either directly or through a booking agent.

Italian shipbuilder, Fincantieri has launched the FREMM Frigate, ITS Antonio Marceglia for the Italian Navy, during a ceremony at the integrated shipyard of Riva Trigoso in Genoa. "The launching ceremony of the “Antonio Marceglia” frigate, the eighth of a series of 10 FREMM vessels - Multi Mission European Frigates, took place today at the integrated shipyard of Riva Trigoso (Genoa) in the presence of the Italian Minister of Defence, Roberta Pinotti and, on behalf of the Chief of Defence, General Claudio Graziano, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Admiral Valter Girardelli," said a press statement. The 10 FREMM vessels have been…

Maersk Line introduces a new service – the AE7 – on the Asia-North Europe trade and a new service – the TP16 – on the Transpacific trade. The new services will enable MSC and Maersk Line to accommodate the incoming volumes from the recently announced slot purchase agreements with Hyundai Merchant Marine and Hamburg Süd. The two carriers will move cargo, but not operate vessels in the 2M network. “With these exciting product improvements we confirm our commitment to provide extensive direct coverage and best in class transit times to our customers in the Asia-Europe and Transpacific trades,” says Silvia Ding, Head of Trade in Maersk Line. “Our new slot agreements require that we increase our capacity.

Direct services between Asia and the East Coast of South America will begin port calls at APM Terminals Buenos Aires, Argentina, and APM Terminals Itajaí, Brazil. The joint service deployed by Hapag-Lloyd, NYK, ZIM, Hyundai and Hamburg Sud prefers their vessels call APM Terminals' facilities in Itajai (Brazil) and T4 in Buenos Aires (Argentina). The weekly Asian service, operated jointly with 13 vessels from Hapag-Lloyd, NYK, Zim, Hamburg Süd and Hyundai, will call the Asian ports of Kelang, Singapore, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Shekou and Busan. The service will begin August 25th with the arrival of the first vessel into Terminal 4 Buenos Aires.

The prison sentence against the former captain of the Costa Concordia cruise liner for his role in the deadly 2012 shipwreck was upheld on Tuesday by an Italian court. Both Francesco Schettino, who was commanding the ship when it hit rocks off the Tuscan island of Giglio, killing 32 people, and the prosecutor had appealed against the 16 years and one month sentence handed down last year. But the Florence appeals court upheld the term. Schettino was found guilty last year by a different court of multiple manslaughter…

Paris and Rome should be able to resolve their differences over the sale of a disputed shipyard, Italy's industry minister said on Wednesday, but he hinted that French investors might yet be hurt because of the row. The comments from Industry Minister Carlo Calenda could spell trouble in particular for French media group Vivendi , which has taken control of Italy's main telecom provider Telecom Italia (TIM). France angered Rome last month by ordering the "temporary" nationalisation of STX France shipyards…

Maersk Line has signed a five-year carbon reduction pact with Huawei Technologies, a global leading telecom solutions provider and the world’s third largest mobile phone manufacturer. The key to Huawei’s success is positioning itself as an innovator and thought leader in its field of expertise. To maintain this status amongst its customers, Huawei has taken the next step by signing a strategic carbon pact with Maersk Line. This agreement integrates both companies’ sustainability commitments to reduce Huawei’s CO2 emissions per container transported with Maersk Line by 18% from 2016 to 2020. “Huawei and Maersk Line share a common commitment to sustainable growth.